It all started with a game of "Words With Friends"

I bought my Ipod touch for one reason really..... "Words With Friends".

I was so excited when I bought it and I could finally play. So as I watched the screen as my app slowly began to load, i grew more and more happy thinking of all of my friends and their fancy Iphones that enjoyed this game together. When the loading was complete, I was stopped at a halt by 3 small words: Create a User name. So I sat and thought. Out of all of the millions of user names I could choose, what should I pick?

Let me rewind the story a bit further.

About 3 years ago, I was on an epic walk in a local park, "Woodward" is the name, with some of my friends to see this cave. We walked up this very long and dusty road. I remember looking down wondering why, one I had worn white shoes and two why i had not worn sun glasses. By the time we actually reached the cave, I won't lie, I was ready to go home. I sat and watched my friends all climb this steep little hill, dust flying everywhere, with this absolutely impossible chain that had a death sentence to hand any one's hands who touched it. Not to mention, I was of course wearing flip flops. Now don't get me wrong, the cave was pretty cool. Tons of people had visited it before and climbed in, tagged their name or whatever cute little saying they wanted and left it for the next "hiker" if you will. They called it the "peace cave", well, because there was a giant peace sign in it! (WAY TO GO HIPPIE TAGGERS!) Like I said before, don't get me wrong, the cave was cool, but I was focused on other things.

The other thing you may ask? ....A tree.

To the right of this cave on top of a hill was this AMAZING looking tree. To some, it could have been just an ordinary tree, but honestly, I was mesmerized by it and could not take my eyes away from it. It was right above where we stood. The face of the hill it was on had broken away leaving the roots exposed. As you looked closely, you could see the roots of this tree had been rooted down into the rock of this hill. In that moment, I remember just thinking of one word: Beautiful. Soon after I had laid my eyes on this wonder, I heard the Lord speak so clearly in my ear.

"Amanda, I want you to be rooted in The Rock"

I had been facing a season of stretching and molding and it was the perfect time to hear that word from the Lord. The very nature speaks of our creator, so why should He not use what he has created to speak to us?

This moment began my slight obsession with trees.

I just LOVE them. Not because they are anything fantastic, but because God often uses them, like he did in that moment, to speak to me. He often finds a way to relate a tree that I just happen to be around to speak to me.

...its the same is kick drums.

Drums in general give me a headache. Not so much when you hear them with other instruments, but when someone is just pounding aimlessly on them, with no type of rhyme or rhythm ...insta-headache. But oh...the kick drum. Any time hear a foot working that kick drum, my heart goes still for just a moment. Why you ask?

Because when I hear a kick drum, I hear the very heartbeat of God.

Over the last few years, God has really taken me on a journey to find him in the small things. We tend to look for him in the HUGE things. The things that are easy to see with the eye, but what about the things we have to look for? or listen for?

"The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by. Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper." -1st Kings 19:11-12

How often do we cry out to God for an answer and plead with him as to why he does not give us an answer, when it is quite possible that he has, but we've missed it? Maybe it is that we are expecting God to answer they way WE want him to answer, but he desires something else. When I saw that tree, or hear that drum, it is a constant reminder that God can speak to me in ways I would never guess he would. Because he knew they would be placed I would remember. An "alter of remembrance" sort of experience. He knew that every time I see a "special" type of tree or heard a kick drum that I would listen for his voice.

I love watching for God in the "Kickdrum Trees". The Little things. God's voice surrounding me in all of creation.

Fast Forward to the "Words With Friends" Game.

When that game asked me what my username would be, I thought about it for a moment. Then it came to me. "Kickdrumtrees" My moments with God.

Later that week, I began a game with a woman I love and she asked me what the name meant. I had the pleasure of explaining the awesome connection I have with the Lord. In that same conversation she said, "Amanda, you should start a blog. You have a lot you could share with the journey you have been walking and have walked." Not 10 minutes later another friend said, "Amanda, you use words well, you should start a blog." ...Ok Lord...what are you trying to say.

I have never been one for blogging, but I love writing. So I figured I would give it a shot. So here I am. And of course, you gotta have a user name. So what would I choose? OF COURSE...you got it... "Kickdrumtrees". I would want nothing more then this to be a place for people to share experiences and stories of where God has showed up in BIG ways as I share how he has also done that for me! A way for others to be reminded and encouraged that God cares about the little things!

So my question to you is this: What is YOUR "Kickdrumtree"?

The small to everyone else, but big to you type of thing God uses to speak to you. To remind you of his love for you when ever you catch a glimpse? If you haven't thought about it, I would encourage you too! It's a beautiful thing!

I challenge you this week to find God in the small things. I believe with all of my heart that there is no such things as coincidences, just irregular opportunities for God to speak to you! :)

I pray they become less irregular to you this week!